Category: Writing

Don’t Pass the Buck is about taking responsibility for the commitments you have made to yourself and others, and not passing the buck onto somebody else. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t transfer the ox’s load to the cow, in other words, don’t transfer your load onto others. It’s written like this because the ox… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Pass the Buck

Don’t Make Things Painful is about not making a bad situation worse by dwelling on it in a negative way. Molehills don’t have to be mountains in your mind. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t bring things to a painful point, and follows naturally from the previous one about not holding a grudge. Everybody worries… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Make Things Painful

Don’t Wait in Ambush is about not holding a grudge or seeking revenge when somebody has hurt you. When you hold a grudge others have more control over your own mind than you do. The original lojong slogan is the same and is related to the previous one: Don’t be mean. When you wait in… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Wait in Ambush

Don’t Be Mean is about not being nasty about other people, either to their face or behind their back. Words can hurt just as much as sticks and stones. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t malign others, which is a noble idea, but not easy to live up to. It’s no good pretending to be… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Be Mean

Don’t Be Predictable is about breaking out of your bad habits so you don’t react automatically in the same way all the time. The original lojong slogan is more or less the same: Don’t be so predictable. Some of our habits are helpful, but others can become straightjackets. When you do things the same way,… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Be Predictable

Don’t Poison Yourself is about not feeding your ego with negative or positive reinforcement, because it will feast on whatever you focus your mind on. The original lojong slogan is: Abandon poisonous food, which means looking at how you nourish yourself, not just in terms of the food you eat, but on every level: physical,… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Poison Yourself

Abandon Hope is about not being attached to the outcome of whatever you’re doing. You might succeed or fail but focusing on either possibility takes you out of the present moment which is the only time in which you can act. The original lojong slogan is: Abandon any hope of fruition, which means letting go… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Abandon Hope